David Baker and his wife, Colleen, landed at the Akron-Canton Airport from Newport Beach, Calif., on Saturday night without coats. After his first meeting with the Pro Football Hall of Fame staff, they warmed up to the new boss.

When David Baker hit the ground in Canton, he didn't do it prepared. Baker, who was hired last week as the Pro Football Hall of Fame's new president and executive director, was much better his first day on the job Monday.

Baker and his wife, Colleen, landed at the Akron-Canton Airport from Newport Beach, Calif., on Saturday night without coats. After his first meeting with the Hall of Fame staff, they warmed up to the new boss.

"We didn't come for the weather," Baker said, laughing. "We came for the purpose, and we think there's some spectacular people here both in the Hall of Fame and the community."

At 6-foot-9, 390 pounds, Baker is a physically imposing figure. Before he arrived for work at George Halas Drive, the desk in the president's office was raised about 6 inches and a new chair for his frame was brought in.

What people will find out about Baker, though, is while he commands a presence, he delivers his message and points with the skilled tongue of a corporate lawyer. The former mayor of Irvine, Calif., earned his juris doctorate from Pepperdine.

His message to the staff Monday morning was about philosophy. He expanded on that Monday afternoon.

Baker believes in what the Hall stands for, and more importantly, its branding potential. As commissioner of the Arena Football League, he negotiated a sponsorship deal with the U.S. Army for $2 million.

"Frankly, we should have been paying them," Baker said. "I believe this, because it's central to us being here. (The Duke of) Wellington said the Battle of Waterloo had been won many years before on the playing fields because he believed all his officers earned discipline, work ethic and team work from competitive athletics.

"Douglas MacArthur, long before he in some respects was the new emperor of Japan, he was superintendent at West Point. He could have put his message anywhere. But he chose a plaque on the playing fields at West Point that said, 'Upon the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that on other days, on other fields will bear the fruits of victory.'"

Baker's point was what happens on the athletic fields are important messages to deliver not only to staffers, but corporate America as well. One of the reasons Baker, a corporate attorney, was hired was to forge relationships with corporate sponsors and open revenue streams.

He was slightly embarrassed to reveal to the staff that he watched "The Sound of Music" with Carrie Underwood, and one of the verses in the song rings true to Baker's philosophy.

"You've heard the 'climb every mountain' part," Baker said. "I never really listen to it until it gets to the next sentence after ''til you find your dream.' ... It says a dream that will need all the love you can give every day of your life for as you live. If you can find that kind of dream and make it your job, that's good work for the rest of your life."

Page 2 of 2 - Baker is taking over for Stephen Perry, who led the Hall of Fame through the largest expansion in history. The $27 million project was the largest one-time investment in the Hall's structure.

Baker may be the man to help deliver the Hall's brand beyond football fans. Baker is expecting to close on a $1.5 billion deal in Henderson, Nevada. He is a partner and developer in an integrated health care and mixed-use development there that could create more than 15,000 job.

He isn't coming to Canton to quietly go into retirement.

"We're California folks from Newport Beach and we always looks at Canton as being synonymous with greatness," said Baker, who's been here before for induction ceremonies. "I can tell you since taking this position, we have told a lot of friends about it, and my unofficial poll is they believe Canton is synonymous with greatness.

"We want to be great at what we do. We want to make the lives of people better. We want to do good, have fun and make money. I had a friend who sold his business for a nice profit and I asked him what he was going to do. What he said was maybe the most intelligent thing I've heard.

"He said there's all different ways to make money, and there's all different ways to have fun, and there's all different ways to do good. To find something that you can do all three at the same time is enjoyment."